Featured Sociopolitical Stories

Malaysian First Revisited &

the Sordid Pro Hominem Media Culture

When you’re … born in a place where you don’t know the history, and no one tells you the history, and the history, in fact, doesn’t exist, or in fact exists only in documents—when you are born like that, you have to learn about where you came from. It takes a lot of time. … If you are French or English…, you are born to a great knowledge of your origins and your culture. When you are born like me, in an agricultural colony far away, you have to learn everything. – V.S. Naipaul from an interview, Paris Review, 1994.

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Did I just beheaded someone ?

After reading KTemoc’s two letters (#1, #2) to Malaysiakini, you go away with a sense of emptiness. About 4,000 words in total and you remember nothing. There is only hollowness; what was the man’s point, if any? Then it strikes you – they lack argument. Nothing; none at all. So much gas – farting – and if you were looking to reply him there is nothing to grip at. Those are letters full of words with nothing to say because KTemoc wanted just to fix Helen Ang, to beat her to the ground and do things to her. Small wonder he is proud to be Malaysian; beating up people is a defining quality in the Malaysian thuggish Penang ‘Hokkein’ culture and KTemoc exemplifies it best, safe among the kangaroos from people tougher than he. He acts in ways like the police beating up a poor sod in a cell, taking on defenceless people. Like Zhao Mingfu hounded, then dead.

In Helen Ang’s opening lines (here), there is an extraordinarily, quasi literate teenage quality about her political position, similar to the way KTemoc tells about his excepting for one difference; Temoc is utterly incompetent even to make the most basic point. Helen:

“I was only watching, you know, a bystander? What-ah? Shuzheng and KTemoc fight after school, what’s it got to do with me? Cannot watch, ah? Everybody also watch wh’at; why you pick on me?” (Sob, sob; here’s a hanky.)

In her actual words:

Rather than for me to be caught in the middle between two guys flexing their blog muscles, you can read their views for yourself: I wish to remain a M’sian – KTemoc replies Kadir Jasin, and Shuzheng’s Kadir has a Chinese problem, K Temoc pontificates, both articles appearing last March.

She talks of ‘blog muscles’ (you know, metaphor for boys fighting?) but directs her readers to one blog only and not KTemoc’s where it is full of profanity and invective against shuzheng (here it is; enjoy.) She omits to say that the content in the same shuzheng pagelink had been reproduced in its entirety at the Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) website at her instigation and behest. This is to say she has been, and remains, an active participant in the ‘feuding history’ (Helen’s words). And then there is this giveaway word ‘us’ towards the end of her letter: “Until and unless Malaysian First-ers can enlighten us….“

To preface her bystander innocence she took extra effort to create two antagonistic classes (so gweilo), she belonging to none, and addresses KTemoc as cheerleader in one, the other the anti-Firster camp with shuzheng as ‘ideologue’ head. By definition, an ideologue advocates a certain ideology. What ideology would that be? The anti-ideology ideology? Contradiction there. As to the “camp’s” location, try visiting CPI online; it has the full address with direction map to headoffice.

Helen pussyfooting with evidences, omissions and with definitions, hence the truth, has to happen not just to push herself out of harm’s way from under the two ‘blog muscles’. It also illustrates the sad state of affairs in Malaysian media culture: it’s always about me.

Hence, KTemoc (like Joshie of Malaysiakini) is full of pro hominem standards (the inverse of ad hominem and, like it, logically fallacious). When Helen reads KTemoc’s letter as ‘twisted’, she was right of course because, in the KTemoc’s standards, the primary purpose is not to critically defend one’s position against a countervailing idea. KTemoc: Kit Siang is very experienced, he paid his dues, how dare you say Kit Siang is wrong. KTemoc had intended his letter to be precisely that, to be ‘mischievous and malicious’, to hurt where it hurts most.

To critically examine, requires a good head on a good heart. To be mischievous and malicious does not even require a clever head. And because KTemoc has none in either case, Helen’s finds it a breeze (no help from shuzheng there) to take him apart in pieces (now wait for Kit Siang to put KTemoc back together). So, why bother? But then Helen has made ‘influencing public opinion’ the darling of her lifestyle.

Imagine then, CPI, supposedly an intellectual centre, is stuffed full with characters like KTemoc? Or, to extrapolate this sordid pro hominem media culture to politics, it is plainly evident why PKR (poor Zaid), Umno/BN, DAP are heavy on people, endlessly contriving, jockeying and plotting: what’s in it for me? No, no, wait a minute… count in my uncles. Public service? Bullshit. Influencing public opinion? On what? More bullshit? It is not difficult, therefore, to see why Malaysian society and politics, intellectual life in general, are the way they are; recall Badawi’s “first world infrastructure, third world mentality”. He would have meant third rate not third world, so that the principle becomes applicable even to those residing in the first world, to wit, KTemoc in Australia.

There are more side effects than can be counted as a result. Herself busy dodging barbs, a hail of it in recent weeks (or is it months?), Helen Ang misses entirely the genesis, the germinating seed, into how Malaysian First came to be discovered as fundamentally flawed. And it had begun at a rather innocuous little essay from a man named Abdul Kadir Jasin. Paradoxically, Helen had referenced the matter to Kadir, but missed the entire significance in the shuzheng and CPI pagelinks.

On that, Kadir and Malaysian First, it shall be for another time….

After Sharifuddin Abdul Latiff’s Nobody Can Stop Perkasa Now was published in Malaysiakini, it elicited this comment from a certain person with a kiddy name, urkidding: “This article carries poor analysis. Very superficial and shallow argument.“

Amazingly, though not surprisingly, urkidding stops there, like a kid bawling then halting abruptly without explanation. How is it an analysis? What is so poor about it? Or, shallow or very superficial, both of which mean the same thing, only different words. But is that an ad hominem?

Malaysiakini editors routinely let in this sort of abuse-responses, disguised as opinions or viewpoints, into its articles and its pages in the delusion they do a great service to humankind: freedom of expression. Can’t argue with that, can you? The freedom principle beats the welfare of a man. If freedom of expression is so sacrosanct, what then of Shar’s freedom from oral invective? Invoking freedom Malaysiakini need not act responsibly. It doesn’t need to act at all; just open up a page and even kidders would be entitled to some abuse-space inside it.

This same irresponsibility – freedom being greater than the person – permeates the rest of media culture, western and Malaysian. At the CPI where comments are un-moderated, it has led to this remarkably defeatist position: “Btw, could this Dan Dan now please response (sic) to points raised by Helen, Shuzheng and U-En Ng, I think we had enough of his ad hominem attack.”

Had enough? It’s as though Dan Dan is the name to a new dog specie that happened to stumble onto their website and now was time to neuter the damn animal.

CPI deliberately opened up to let in creatures like Dan Dan into their world, and then complains about ad hominem. If comments like Dan Dan were to be scissored out, would CPI be left with next to nothing to show for all the work put in? It would seem like nobody ever visits – poor thing, CPI – although moderating a page would still be necessary, not just to engender civility but also to establish a certain quality in content, style and tone.

That last sentence is, of course, presumptuous. It assumes editors at CPI or Malaysiakini have the calibre or the intellectual integrity to distinguish between profound work and banality. KTemoc is yet one more evidence into the incompetence that’s rife in media culture, starting in Malaysiakini, ending in CPI. In his case, abuse is disguised in a letter form.

At his own website, KTemoc Konsiders (or is it KTemoc Konvolute?), the man has extolled it as, “a meeting place to exchange views, no matter how different or diverse these may be. Keeping these civil and courteous would be appreciated…”

KTemoc’s version of ad hominem is his (k)onvoluted idea of civility and courtesy, applicable to everybody else except himself. This is the same man who claims all Jews are fascists (inversely, all Muslims are righteous) so that in such an insanely stupid statement (and this isn’t an ad hominem), KTemoc cannot be expected to have any intelligence or civility or courtesy – at all. CPI knows that, or ought to know it.

As in Malaysiakini and Malaysia Today, CPI harbours cerebral gangsters who will twist your arm or break your nose if you cross them. In their intellectual thuggery an “excellent” write-up happens only when it agrees with theirs. But, expose their racial and political prejudices, KTemoc throws up a fit. There is no reasoned counter argument, so that the only thing left to punch with is the ad hominem – the ultimate expression of a cerebral hoodlum such as KTemoc. The ad hominem is the equivalent of the sticks, knives and knuckledusters thugs wield.

In this KTemoc was attempting to rebut the Malaysian First Requires Doing a Ridhuan Tee by saying “I am proud of my ethnicity”. What ethnicity would that be? The Malaysian First super race? He doesn’t say it – at all. To avoid the word ‘Chinese’, he substitute it with the nefarious term ‘my ethnicity’. A Chinese ashamed of calling himself straight out as Chinese is proud to be Chinese? The contradiction stares straight out from under KTemoc’s name.

Not long ago, in replying to Kadir Jasin, he declared himself a proud Malaysian. Now, his pride is in his ethnicity (whatever that is). So many prides, so many allegiances, so many make beliefs: indeed, how could an Anglophile be ever proud of being Chinese?

Other, similar (k)ontradictions pour out all over KTemoc’s reply; poor man as (k)onvoluted as when he started off down the road as Malaysian First, as if it is an accomplishment and not a given fact of citizenship.

At the risk of being repetitive, below are the fundamental points raised in the Malaysian First article published in Malaysiakini:

Lim Kit Siang is vague about what the Malaysian First encapsulates but is clear into what it rejects.

Malaysian First is a negation on a negation (here, read U-En Ng’s exposition on that notion; clever fellow).

Ridhuan Tee is a prototype, even ideal, Malaysian First that Kit Siang’s ideology cannot match nor does he dare to take it up (expounded in detail here).

Malaysian First is Kit Siang politics played out only among the Chinese (and Indians).

Malaysian First is DAP politics intended to bring Malays into its constituency, to wit PAS members.

Malaysian First renders the Chinese (and Indians) as lesser beings. It exchanges the Chinese (and Indian) identity for DAP’s Putrajaya crown – a new social contract deal offer which the Malays are not accepting. Neither PKR nor PAS leaders have much to say in support, if anything.

Malaysian First is an appeasement to Umno tyranny and PAS supremacist religiosity and bigotry.

Malaysian First is an Anglophile moral farce, and deceitful because DAP evangelical legislators have no need to renounce their Christianity as second.

Malaysian First does nothing to resolve outstanding Malaysian social, economic and political problems, and only exacerbates them. It recognizes no collective or group interest. For example, there are no vernacular schools to protect or preserve because, under Malaysian First, the Chinese are second. Or, they don’t exist; there are only Malaysians. Estate Indians are subjugated not because they are Indians but because they are poor, individually. Malaysian First tells why Lim Guan Eng is bigoted towards Hindraf people and it tills the ground for doing away with Chinese schools eventually because, pushed to its logical conclusion, Malaysian First is one bangsa, one school, one system. This is the same call from Perkasa.

KTemoc has no answer to those core issues. With neither the capability nor the grade to deal with them, he has just chanting to show (here), churning out platitudes, ‘beyond race politics’, ‘I am proud of my ethnicity’, invoking Obama (after which Helen in rebuttal easily puts away the American aside), and then all the other yada, yada into how a good Malaysian boy he is or has been. KTemoc’s faith in or allegiance to Malaysian First is never in question (he is even entitled to believe apes descended from his father). Yet all he can offer in rebuttal are the same, insipid banality – I am proud of this, proud of that – which he has before used (here). It is full of his egotism.

KTemoc is the half-literate Anglophile version of a Macalister Road Hokkein gangster whose weapon of choice happens to be English, but writes in Manglish (what’s “insecure creativity”? A KTemoc university course in philosophy?) and relies on fuzzy triteness (what’s “transcending”? A new Kit Siang religion?) to pad up an abusive letter.

Kadir Jasin, above: you, am sorry to announce, started it all. Next time, Datuk, you’ve an existential question, can you please, please add this: Anglophile KTemoc Konvolute of Australia need not reply.

There is a preface to KTemoc’s narcissism, this preoccupation with his ego. At KTemoc Konvolute he exists there primarily as a pro hominem, the prism with which KTemoc, the man, views the rest of the world. When Kadir posed the existential dilemma, what’s a Malaysian – a fair question, KTemoc goes off into a song and dance about the wonders of his past and, perversely, about his uncles. When it is about Malaysian First, he reads it as if Ah Pek Lim’s own squalid life is under seige, a mirror of himself.

But is it at all any surprise? A man without a good head has only his wriggly tongue left for a substitute. The PAS ustaz (see clip below), the ulamas, the Ridhuan Tees, and the DAP Christian preachers churned out from the ‘Assembly of God’ churches, full of orang putih theology and little else (think Thomas Lee), bear the exact same characteristic. They are either Anglophiles or make pretend Malays, the bogus Arab towelheads, none of who could be true to themselves as Malay or Chinese or Hindu Indians.

Kit Siang gave them all a new ethnic name – Malaysian First, and KTemoc, the man with many glorious uncles, is a member.

Ad hominem is always easy against a person such as CPI’s Helen Ang (now fallen into his disfavour), but KTemoc would hesitate to go after, say, Hisham or the IGP. This is inevitable. KTemoc is never, after all, a first-rate mind, not even third, but he is a DAP thug. And thugs tend to visit the defenceless.

He accuses the Malaysian First article of “poor scholarship”. How does the article pretend to be scholarly in the first place? KTemoc doesn’t say, which then affirms the supposition that he has probably never seen a scholarly paper much less authored any – an Anglophile, cerebral goon, safely parked in Australia away from Hisham’s policemen, and with only a list of dead uncles to show for his patriotism.

This pretext-argument on poor scholarship is nearly the same to that employed by urkidding. Both their replies, on the surface about intellectual vigor, carry with them an underlying message instead. You touch Ah Pek Lim, I’ll beat you up; KTemoc will fix you, and he has many influential uncles to do the job.In the latest letter to Malaysiakini, he fawns over Kit Siang: a ‘giant’, he says (wow!), then ‘visionary’ (double wow!) and puts him next to Martin Luther King Jr (triple wow!).

So, is urkidding’s ‘this article carries poor analysis. Very superficial and shallow argument’ an ad hominem? Probably not in the category of KTemoc’s Fuck (with so many uncles, he should consider trying that out on all his nieces). Their difference is only in the wording but not their shared motives.

Ad hominem, as opposed to say, ad rem, requires no evidential prop or argument since all verbiage is directed purely at a person. Even there, many, including Helen Ang (of CPI) in her defence of shuzheng, get presumptuous: there exists an individual person to attack or to defend. They presumed shuzheng is a person singular (like Helen, KTemoc spells it with a capital S) and is male.

When urkidding says ‘this article carries poor analysis’, you can tell right off urkidding wasn’t interested in offering a rebuttal. This is because any rejoinder is itself at risk, to scrutiny in particular. Like KTemoc’s obsessive thought-use of his old, shrinking penis, urkidding had intended the comment to demoralize and to denigrate another person on the basis of ejaculated aggression by insult, that is, emotion not reason. This says KTemoc and urkidding share the same motive to undermine another person without the need to dwell properly on the subject at stake.

Urkidding was, therefore, being ad hominem in the way KTemoc was, inversely, pro hominem when he repeatedly called Helen Ang “sweetie”. Helen flagged as sweetie (when she was half-way to his disfavour) absolves KTemoc’s need to state his point; in his Malaysiakini letters, he invokes ‘giants’ (his word), those dead and on the way. In KTemoc’s (k)onvoluted pro hominem reasoning, if Helen is a sweetie, then all things that flow from her (KTemoc thinks bocor?) is therefore ‘sweet’. If Martin Luther King Jr is a giant, then all things that flow from the giant Kit Siang nose, mucus and all, must be clean of virus poison. Hence, no need to make much ado about all those criticisms or answer them.

This not only explains the astonishing hollowness in KTemoc’s letters. Rather, it goes to show how the pro hominem fallacy is so central to KTemoc that it spills out and froths in buckets each time he opens up. And Malaysiakini (and CPI) editors, squatting right under him, lick it from the corners of his mouth. Freedom of speech, you see.

There is yet another point. It also says urkidding and KTemoc and the semen-leaking Bung Mokhtar Radin of Kinabatangan have things in common: vulgar and narcissistic, the dominant properties of Malaysia’s political class. All three are interested primarily to score with insults, never to intellectually engage an opposite standpoint. The difference in the three being, KTemoc and Bung are identical in their sexually-oriented abusiveness whereas urkidding is … well, a bawling kid.

An invariable effect into this you-jab-me, I-jab-you cycle of discourse is, while Helen drones on endlessly about petty minds (think Ridhuan Tee) and, over this, runs hither-dither for a rebuttal (swallow it, girl), KTemoc is masturbating in his thoughts about sweet 13-year-old Dimpled Cheeks. He said so himself: Fuck Shuzheng. Forget ‘him’, he suggests, Dimpled Cheeks is more worthy of his thoughts. (KTemoc seems preoccupied with sex, fuck, erectile bananas, sweetie Helen, 13-year-olds, Dimpled Cheeks….)

But this mental switching around is useless, even with the actual masturbation that came after. With his Malaysian First ego still bruised, he then writes a series of letters to Malaysiakini editors, crying like a cry baby. At his age, and with so many uncles (whom he lists here) who might have his nieces, and with his proclivity for bananas, in the market for fucks and for children he sounds, positively, a potential pedophile. Dirty old man: small wonder he is ensconced in white man country. After Dimpled Cheeks, he’ll be oogling at 13-year-old white girls.

KTemoc has an armoury of ad hominem. And since he has threatened with thuggery, in his words, to fuck shuzheng, here’s to meet KTemoc on his profanity (think namewee, poor child of Malaysian First): after KTemoc is done masturbating over Dimpled Cheeks, he might want to fuck all his nieces, and then move on next to his mother right where she is buried dead. That is, fuck your mother.

There is no fundamental difference between the two men (below), the Anglophile Rony Tan and the Arab Muslim Ann Wan Seng. Not contend with their conversions, they then denounced their native culture, Chinese in both cases. Rony calls Buddhism a “conjurer of tricks”. Ann Wan calls it “agama Kong Kali Kong”. They have the exact same principle embodied in Malaysian First: convert to a new race and spit on the old.

Across the causeway, Singaporean First Rony would be like Kit Siang’s Malaysian First KTemoc. Here, on the other hand, Ann Wan, Chinese, ustaz to boot, is likely to own a PAS membership card (the person who posted this video shouts allahuakhbar, and Umno is unlikely to admit him), the same kind of Malaysian First Lim Guan Eng wants to cultivate in Penang so as to secure his father’s place in Putrajaya.

Ann Wan, to be sure, is also a proud Chinese. “We must have a Chinese mosque to convert those voodoo Kong Kali Kong Buddhists,” is the message he shouts from the same kind of pulpit that Rony uses to spit at Chinese who can’t speak his little English or accept his water-walking conjurer named Jesus Christ. Hallelujah, allahuakhbar.

PAS will rule if Pakatan wins, BN warns Chinese

By Clara Chooi

Dr Chua: PAS will not forget its autocratic Islamic stand and don't be surprised if PAS comes to power, it will turn back the clock.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders flashed danger signals to Chinese voters today, repeating its old line that any support for Pakatan Rakyat would lead to the Islamist party PAS occupying the “captain's seat”.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek cautioned that although today PAS preached moderation, the party would likely not abandon its “autocratic Islamic stand” if PR comes to power.

“We feel if Pakatan comes to power, PAS would be in the captain's seat. PAS will not forget its autocratic Islamic stand and don't be surprised if PAS comes to power, it will turn back the clock,” he warned in his presidential address at MCA's 57th annual general meeting here today.

He claimed that since the 2008 general election, DAP, seen to be PR's equivalent to MCA, had only succeeded in delivering Chinese support for PAS.

“In the battle cry for change by the PR in the 2008 elections, we noticed that the only change DAP has brought about was to strengthen PAS and deliver Chinese support to them.

“We (BN) do not claim to be a perfect government but [we] hope that Malaysians will deliberate carefully if they think that PR will be a better choice,” he said.

The Islamic state argument has been frequently used by BN as its ticket to convince voters that the PR alliance, specifically between PAS and DAP, was merely a marriage of convenience.

Amid claims that their alliance was a concrete one based on common policies and platforms, both PAS and DAP have publicly shown vastly different views on the topic of implementing an Islamic state,

In recent months, PAS leaders have indicated that they would remain steadfast on their promise to implement Hudud laws, even claiming that DAP was now warming up to the idea.

DAP however has vehemently objected to this, with its chairman Karpal Singh resounding his resolve to keep Malaysia as a secular state, saying, “Islamic state over my dead body.”

Najib: But we in the Barisan Nasional have always trusted each other. That is why we can work as a team.

“Dr Chua is right to remind you that they (PAS) have not given up on their theocratic Islamic state. And I am sure that if it is implemented, it would change your way of life and affect the Chinese community,” he said.

In this respect, Najib added, Karpal was spot-on when he said “over my dead body” to PAS' goals.

“That is why DAP's Karpal Singh is saying 'over my dead body'. I don't agree with Karpal most of the time, but this time, he is right,” he told the 1,764 MCA delegates who had gathered here for the AGM.

Najib however said that Karpal's words showed that the leader, as well as the party he represented, did not trust PAS, their own coalition partner.

“He does not trust PAS. It is a revelation. They actually do not trust each other but they have to appear that they trust each other.

“This is a political sandiwara but we in the Barisan Nasional have always trusted each other. That is why we can work as a team,” he pointed out.

Earlier, Dr Chua also directed all MCA leaders in PR-controlled states to go on the offensive and behave like a strong opposition by working hard to expose the enemy of their wrongdoings.

“Do not forget that you are in the opposition-controlled states and behave like one. Go ahead and expose the shortcomings, scandals, abuse of power, malpractices and weaknesses of those governments.

“And I am sure there are many,” he coyly said.

He added that leaders needed to respond swiftly to issues and take the lead instead of being “mere followers” and jumping onto the bandwagon only when others were already on it.

“MCA has already gone on an offensive to declare cyber war to effectively disseminate our message to the voters, there has been too many twisted information in the cyber world and the wrong perception given thatof MCA and the government,” he said.

Dr Chua reminded that if party members and leaders failed to close ranks and get their acts together, BN would not be in Putrajaya after the next general elections.

“Today’s political climate is different. It cannot be business as usual and the changing political landscape requires us to be on our toes.

“To do well in the next general election, we have to overcome the negative perception of the Chinese towards MCA,” he said.

He admitted that MCA has been perceived as a party that was unable to voice out the aspirations of the Chinese community.

This, he said, was proven in MCA's dismal performance in the 2008 general election.

The political tsunami in the 2008 elections had reduced MCA’s representation in Parliament from 31 seats in the 2004 elections to only 15 while its state seats were reduced from 75 in 2004 to 31 seats.

“The people have spoken loud and clear. Other than developing the nation, the rakyat expects the government to reduce corruption, be accountable, transparent, democratic and fair.

“I have to be frank to say it is important not just the BN to win at the next general election, but the MCA as a party must also do well in order for us to be effective,” he said.

Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim has decided to join the fray for the PKR deputy presidency in a move that party insiders believe will bode ill for rival contestant Zaid Ibrahim as it will surely split the 'liberal' vote in PKR down the line.

Long-time vice presidents Azmin Ali and Mustaffa Kamil Ayub are also bidding for the post that incumbent Syed Husin Ali has decided not to defend. Another PKR veteran Tian Chua is due to make his decision within the next few days whether or not to make it a five-cornered fight.

"Basically whether it is a straight fight, four or five-cornered fight, Azmin has a comfortable lead. If he loses, it will be a major upset that frankly none of the seasoned PKR watchers believe will happen," a PKR insider told Malaysia Chronicle.

"The reason is because Azmin has always been Anwar's loyal deputy. Even if not his anointed successor, at the very least the No. 2 guy in PKR because he was one of the founders and is a competent politician in his own right."

Non-Azmin vote will go to Khalid rather than Zaid

Most members joined PKR because of de-facto head Anwar Ibrahim, who formed the party following his shocking sacking as the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia by former premier Mahathir Mohamad in 1998.

Many are from Umno and Muslim youth movement ABIM. There is also a significant population of members tagged as 'reformists' or 'liberals', whose main purpose in joining PKR is to help effect change for the better in Malaysia.

"It doesn't mean that the reformists don't favor Azmin. They know him from the past and many do like and accept him. Those who don't would have voted for Zaid, but because Zaid has more or less alienated everyone, they would have given their vote to Azmin or Mustaffa instead," the party watcher said. "Now w ith Khalid joining, the non-Azmin vote will go to him instead of Zaid. Khalid has done well as Selangor MB by staying above racial politicking. If Tian joins, the reformist vote will be split further as Tian is probably the one the reformists trust the most because they all know him so well. Even so, when you do the final tally, Azmin still has the edge and he should win comfortably provided there is no money politics and his supporters continue to work hard.

No way Nurul will go for No. 2

At his official residence in Shah Alam, Khalid finally made his long-awaited announcement.

"I, Khalid Ibrahim offer myself to contest the deputy president post in the upcoming party polls," he said.

Zaid had previously said he would withdraw if Khalid decided to go for the same post because it appears the former Umno leader may have changed his mind. On Friday, he suddenly announced that he would walk away from the No. 2 contest if Anwar's daughter Nururl Izzah decided to join the No. 2 race.

However, party insiders said the chances of Nurul going for No. 2 was zero.

"If Zaid wants to chicken out of the No. 2 race, he will have to do so without using Nurul as a stepping stone. I can assure you she will only go for one of the four vice-presidencies. Zaid can as usual try to make himself more than he is by announcing he will go the No. 1 post rather than slug it out and lose in the No. 2. But he is welcome to try. Wan Azizah is not in any danger at all," said the insider, referring to president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who will be defending her post.See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

All still not well in the MCA?

October 10, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — The 57th MCA Annual General Assembly today was supposed to have shown that things are back to normal in the party and the members are united and consolidating the party after 18 months of turmoil.

The infighting seemed to have been settled after the party held fresh leadership elections in March to end the crisis and Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was elected as the new president.

Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when officiating at the MCA assembly — for the first time since becoming prime minister last year, commended Dr Chua for his efforts to consolidate and revive the party.

Najib said the current AGM was important and significant because it could be assumed to be a meeting to launch a renewal and rehabilitation of the MCA.

However, things do not seem to be heading that way. For one thing, the central delegates unexpectedly rejected a proposed amendment to give MCA Youth members representation at the party’s annual general assembly.

The minor amendment would have allowed a member of the MCA Youth from every branch and division to be a delegate at the general assembly. Currently, only representatives from the Wanita wing attend the assembly.

“The amendment was simple and minor. Nothing controversial, but still the delegates rejected it, first time in history. Why couldn’t a small matter like this go through? What is the message?” asked MCA veteran leader Datuk Yap Pian Hon.

Yap, a former youth chief and vice-president, said rejection of the proposal had put the party in a difficult position to attract young members as the party could be perceived as being unwilling to give an opportunity to the young members to move up.

The first indication that things are still not well in the party came on Saturday when a Wanita delegate from Pahang, Khiew Yuh Jiuan, raised the issue of the sex scandal involving Dr Chua.

Her criticism drew applause from delegates at the meeting, indicating that some party members were still unwilling to let go of some issues which bogged them down, and move forward.

In fact, some party members believe that the Wanita delegates had played a major role in rejecting the proposed amendment as they are seen to be unhappy with the MCA Youth proposal to open the youth movement to MCA Beliawanis members currently placed under the Wanita wing.

MCA Beliawanis is a club which was set up to attract professional women below 35 years of age to join the MCA.

Some Wanita leaders have openly questioned the youth movement’s motive for such a move and expressed anger that Wanita leaders were not consulted on the matter.

“Wanita MCA has more than 300 central delegates. If you look at today’s outcome of the voting, the number of those who voted against the proposed amendment is about the same (number). That’s why I believe they have rejected it,” said a Wanita delegate.

Whatever it is, some political analysts are of the view that the delegates’ rejection of the proposed amendment had somehow indirectly put Dr Chua’s leadership in a bad light even though it was due to the unpreparedness of the youth leadership in putting forward the proposal. — Bernama

The decision to remove a national based assessment to a local school based may bring cheer to the students but there is already mixed views on the merits of a national based exams and demerits of removing it.

That will take the pressure off students when they start their Form 1 that they do not have the exam anxiety fears in three years time and like most BolehLand fellos adopt an easy going attitude including becoming procrastinators wiling away for four years and then think that in the fifth year they can buck up to score their 9As.

Consistent achievers who score in the PMR will likely get similar results. Those who slack can be identified and have another two years to buck up.

Removing the PMR does in no way help the weaker students. It may encourage complacency!

And if the Education Ministry is going to give a standard school based examination, why demolish the PMR at all?

There will definitely be baisness in local examinations. It is an open secret the in government exams, marks are lowered to allow for students to pass and to up the percentage of As. The government or the schools may be proud of their 100% passes or high A achievers. But the real results will appear later on in life, when the kids go to universities and when they start work! They will find out that the school didn't prepare them for such challenges.

Already, university lecturers are lamenting the level of maths and science being taught in schools. They need to teach school maths at university level!

For someone who have gone through countless exams that missionary schools have to keep us on our toes, it is a mistake to remove national based exams. Are we trying our kids to be softies.

Does the heavy books and big bags an excuse to do away with public exams! They should review the syllabus on why students carry so many books or take so many subjects! Are our present generation of kids smarter because they ca! rry more books and they have supposedly more homework?

Did generation X also carried that number of books and also studied that number of subjects. Even though the school syllabus has shrunk in terms of coverage, eg. world history these days is more Malaysian and Asian history, and geography is about how great a nation we are than studying the effects of the sun and the winds on the cycle of agriculture or physical geography to understand why some countries are endowed with natural resources and while others don't have any.

Noone has given a rational reason why the PMR exam is demolished. Is it's elimination also the creeping arrogance our country has towards external or overseas benchnmarking? Already they are disregarding international or external ranking systems for universities thinking we are smart enough to tell the whole world 'to hell with your rankings' coz we know what is best for us!

Exams bring discipline. Even if some argue it only forces students to 'specialise' and narrow their focus on 'spotting questions', even if they know the public exams will focus on key principles and topics, with less to learn, not all are able to achieve good grades.

With assessment based exams, are we saying students will not focus on 'spotted questions' but give equal concentration to all areas thought?

Exams will always focus on key principles and topics. Removing PMR will not make the kids smarter in general topics. They will try and spot questions, it will now even make it easier for teachers to hint to students the questions likely to appear in a local based exams. And we know for a fact that teachers will give hints to their students. In public exams, the guessing is well just guessing.

Are educators telling us without public exams, students will not be turned into rote learners but critical thinkers! What is the use of creating students with critical thinking and a knowledge based generation of they are not allowed to think in universities or even express their thoughts la! ter on i n life. When they reject knowledge though along bias and nationalistic lines they are considered unpatriotic and when they seek knowledge beyond our borders they are a threat to the nation, or race or the establishment?

The government may think they are doing the kids and the teachers a favour removing the fear factor of the PMR exam and take away the exam blues of students. Let's hope at the end of it all, the nation don't get a bad flu feeling the blues when their generation Y kids can't keep knowledge in their heads but need to check the internet for basic knowledge! And the danger is when their mobile devices run out of battery or the internet is interrupted due to government control or line issues, they won't similarly malfunction too!

The Kingpin

An exposé of the world's most notorious wildlife dealer, his special government friend, and his ambitious new plan

By Bryan Christy

Photograph by Mark Leong

Update: After this article was published, the Malaysian Parliament passed the Wildlife Conservation Act, the first major wildlife law overhaul in the country since 1972.

On September 14, 1998, a thin, bespectacled Malaysian named Wong Keng Liang walked off Japan Airlines Flight 12 at Mexico City International Airport. He was dressed in faded blue jeans, a light-blue jacket, and a T-shirt emblazoned with a white iguana head. George Morrison, lead agent for Special Operations, the elite, five-person undercover unit of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was there to greet him. Within seconds of his arrest, Anson (the name by which Wong is known to wildlife traffickers and wildlife law enforcement officers around the world) was whisked downstairs in handcuffs by Mexican federales, to be held in the country's largest prison, the infamous Reclusorio Norte.

To Morrison and his team, Anson Wong was the catch of a lifetime—the world's most wanted smuggler of endangered species. His arrest, involving authorities in Australia,Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States, was a hard-won victory, the culmination of a half-decade-long undercover operation still widely considered the most successful international wildlife investigation ever.

For too long in too many countries (including the U.S.), placing the word "wildlife" in front of the word "crime" had diminished its seriousness. U.S. federal prosecutors wanted Anson's conviction to show the world that wildlife smugglers are criminals. In addition to charging him under the American wildlife-trafficking law known as the Lacey Act, they indicted him for conspiracy, felony smuggling, and money laundering.

For nearly two years Anson fought extradition to the U.S., but eventually he signed plea agreements, admitting to crimes carrying a maximum penalty of 250 years in prison and a $12.5-million fine. On June 7, 2001, U.S. District Judge Martin J. Jenkins sentenced him to 71 months in U.S. federal prison (with credit for 34 months served), fined him $60,000, and banned him from selling animals to anyone in the U.S. for three years after his prison release.

If the judge thought a ban on Anson Wong would work, he was mistaken. Shortly after his arrest, Anson's wife and business partner, Cheah Bing Shee, established a new company, CBS Wildlife, which exported wildlife to the U.S. while Anson was in prison. His main company, Sungai Rusa Wildlife, continued to ship despite the ban. Now that he's free, Anson has launched a new wildlife venture, a zoo that promises to be his most audacious enterprise yet.

Numbers Game

It is almost impossible to name an animal or plant species anywhere on the planet that has not been traded—legally or illegally—for its meat, fur, skin, song, or ornamental value, as a pet, or as an ingre­dient in perfume or medicine. Every year China, the U.S., Europe, and Japan purchase billions of dollars' worth of wildlife from biologically rich parts of the world, such as Southeast Asia, emptying out parks and plundering wildlands, often newly accessible along logging roads.

The path to market typically begins when poor hunters or farmers catch animals for local traders, who pass them up the supply chain, though some traffickers—Anson Wong among them—have even dispatched their own poachers, posing as tourists. In Asia, wildlife ends up on the banquet table or in medicine shops; in Western countries, in the living rooms of exotic-animal fanciers. The economics are as easy to understand as an art auction: the rarer the item, the higher the price. Around the globe, nature is dying, and the prices of her rarest works are going up.

While no one knows exactly how large the illegal wildlife trade is, this much is certain: It's extraordinarily lucrative. Profit margins are the kind drug kingpins would kill for. Smugglers evade detection by hiding illegal wildlife in legal shipments, they bribe wildlife and customs officials, and they alter trade documents. Few are ever caught, and penalties are usually no more severe than a parking ticket. Wildlife trafficking may very well be the world's most profitable form of illegal trade, bar none.

Smugglers also exploit a loophole in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). With 175 countries as members, CITES is the world's primary treaty to protect wildlife, categorized into three groups according to how endan­gered a species is perceived to be. Appendix I animals, such as tigers and orangutans, are considered so close to extinction that their commercial trade is banned. Species in Appendix II are less vulnerable and may be traded under a permit system. Those in Appendix III are protected by the national legislation of the country that added them to the list. The CITES treaty has one gaping exception: Specimens bred in captivity do not receive the same protection as their wild counterparts. CITES, after all, applies to wild life.

Proponents of captive breeding argue that it takes pressure off wild populations, decreases crime, satisfies international demand that will never go away, and puts money in the pockets of those willing to commit to "farming" wildlife. But these benefits only hold in countries with enforcement policies strong enough to deter rule breakers. In practice, smugglers establish fake breeding facilities, then claim that animals and plants poached from the wild are captive bred. Fake captive breeding is just one of the techniques Anson Wong used in running a secret front operation for one of the world's largest wildlife-smuggling syndicates.

Now the world's most notorious convicted reptile trafficker is about to move in a new direction, with potentially shattering consequences for one of the most revered, charismatic—and endangered—animals on the planet: the tiger.

Operation Chameleon

Special Operations began its hunt for Anson Wong in the fall of 1993. Ops prided itself on tackling large-scale commercial traffickers. The group's work on exotic-bird trafficking had resulted in the breakup of smuggling operations around the world—involving dozens of convictions in U.S. courts—and had contributed to passage of the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992, which banned the import of many vulnerable bird species. Overnight, imports of macaws, African gray parrots, and other psittacines had dropped from hundreds of thousands a year to hundreds.

By the 1990s illegal reptiles were pouring into the U.S. Prices were skyrocketing—$20,000 or more for a rare tortoise or a Komodo dragon. Reptiles smuggle well: They're small (at least as babies), durable, and with cold-blooded metabolisms, can go for long periods without food or water. Valuable and portable, reptiles were the diamonds of wildlife trafficking.

Informants had been raising Anson Wong's name for years, and Ops suspected he was the global kingpin of the illegal reptile trade. Anson was already wanted in the U.S. for smuggling rare reptiles to a Florida dealer in the late 1980s. He was said to be acutely aware of his status as an outlaw. There would be no "stinging" Anson Wong, no tricking him with a onetime transaction in a hotel room or catching him personally bringing reptiles through an airport. To get him, Ops would have to come up with something clever.

Special Agent Morrison—six foot five, a lifelong hunter, the son of a lawyer—was given the lead. He and his boss, Special Agent Rick Leach, leased a unit in a business complex outside San Francisco, not far from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the nuclear weapons facility. They filled their new wholesale enterprise, called Pac Rim, with the only saleable merchandise they had, a truckload of seashells and corals left over from previous investigations: fluted clamshells, spiraling Trochidae shells, hard corals, the sort of white and pink junk sold by aquarium supply stores and beachside tourist shops. They advertised their confidence items in magazines, and when legitimate orders came in, the seasoned crime fighters boxed and labeled seashell orders themselves.

As a complement to Pac Rim, Ops opened a retail business called Silver State Exotics outside Reno, Nevada. The combination gave the agents a circle of economic life—they could import animals in wholesale quantities through Pac Rim and retail what they didn't need for evidence through Silver State Exotics, giving Pac Rim the appearance of a thriving global operation (and an income).

On October 19, 1995, Morrison sent a fax to Anson's company, Sungai Rusa Wildlife, explaining that he was a wholesaler of shells and corals interested in expanding into reptiles and amphib­ians. Anson replied with a one-page price list offering low-end frogs and toads for under five dollars and house geckos for 30 cents (items known in the pet industry as trash animals), listed by their Latin names. In one case Anson used his own name for a subspecies: ansoni. Two animals on the list stood out—the Fly River turtle (also known as the pig-nosed turtle) and the frilled lizard, protected throughout their ranges in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Australia. So in his first contact with Morrison, a complete stranger, Anson had offered a taste of illegal wildlife.

Soon Anson was soliciting Morrison with the planet's scarcest, most valuable Appendix I reptiles: Komodo dragons from Indonesia, tuatara from New Zealand, Chinese alligators, and Madagascan plowshare tortoises, rarest of the rare. Using a corrupt employee in the Fed­Ex facility in Phoenix, Arizona, Anson express mailed protected species—including a Southeast Asian false gharial and Madagascan radiated tortoises, both Appendix I—to fake "drop" addresses. He flew Komodos directly to Morrison from Malaysia, hidden in suitcases wheeled by his American mule, James Burroughs. He sent Madagascan radiated tortoises, their legs taped inside their shells, bundled in black socks and packed at the bottom of legal reptile shipments.

Morrison marveled at Anson's dexterity. He could broker turtles out of Peru without ever touching them. He contracted out poaching hits on a wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand. He owned a wildlife business in Vietnam. And he boasted an ability to enforce his deals using Chinese muscle.

Significantly, he exploited the CITES captive-breeding exception, claiming that wild animals he exported were captive bred. Under one ruse, Anson shipped large numbers of Indian star tortoises through Dubai, claiming they'd been bred in captivity there. When investigators checked on the facility, they found a flower shop.

Anson assured Morrison that they had nothing to fear from Malaysian authorities. Wildlife smuggling in Malaysia is policed both by customs and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, or Perhilitan. Referring to his American courier, Anson told Morrison, "I have the second man of the customs bring him out of the airport and drive him to my office."

KUALA LUMPUR (Malaysian Insider) Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders flashed danger signals to Chinese voters today, repeating its old line that any support for Pakatan Rakyat would lead to the Islamist party PAS occupying the captain's seat.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek cautioned that although today PAS preached moderation, the party would likely not abandon its autocratic Islamic stand if PR comes to power.

We feel if Pakatan comes to power, PAS would be in the captain's seat. PAS will not forget its autocratic Islamic stand and don't be surprised if PAS comes to power, it will turn back the clock, he warned in his presidential address at MCA's 57th annual general meeting here today.

He claimed that since the 2008 general election, DAP, seen to be PR's equivalent to MCA, had only succeeded in delivering Chinese support for PAS.

In the battle cry for change by the PR in the 2008 elections, we noticed that the only change DAP has brought about was top strengthen PAS and deliver Chinese support to them.

We (BN) do not claim to be a perfect government but [we] hope that Malaysians will deliberate carefully if they think that PR will be a better choice, he said.

The Islamic state argument has been frequently used by BN as its ticket to convince voters that the PR alliance, specifically between PAS and DAP, was merely a marriage of confidence.

Amid claims that their alliance was a concrete one based on common policies and platforms, both PAS and DAP have publicly shown vastly different views on the topic of implementing an Islamic state,

In recent months, PAS leaders have indicated that they would remain steadfast on their promise to implement Hudud laws, even claiming that DAP was now warming up to the idea.

DAP however has vehemently objected to this, with its chairman Karpal Singh resounding his resolve to keep Malaysia as a secul! ar state , saying, Islamic state over my dead body.

Najib: But we in the Barisan Nasional have always trusted each other. That is why we can work as a team.

Dr Chua is right to remind you that they (PAS) have not given up on their theocratic Islamic state. And I am sure that if it is implemented, it would change your way of life and affect the Chinese community, he said.

In this respect, Najib added, Karpal was spot-on when he said over my dead body to PAS' goals.

That is why DAP's Karpal Singh is saying 'over my dead body'. I don't agree with Karpal most of the time, but this time, he is right, he told the 1,764 MCA delegates who had gathered here for the AGM.

Najib however said that Karpal's words showed that the leader, as well as the party he represented, did not trust PAS, their own coalition partner.

He does not trust PAS. It is a revelation. They actually do not trust each other but they have to appear that they trust each other.

This is a political sandiwara but we in the Barisan Nasional have always trusted each other. That is why we can work as a team, he pointed out.

Earlier, Dr Chua also directed all MCA leaders in PR-controlled states to go on the offensive and behave like a strong opposition by working hard to expose the enemy of their wrongdoings.

Do not forget that you are in the opposition-controlled states and behave like one. Go ahead and expose the shortcomings, scandals, abuse of power, malpractices and weaknesses of those governments.

And I am sure there are many, he coyly said.

He added that leaders needed to respond swiftly to issues and take the lead instead of being mere followers and jumping onto the bandwagon only when others were already on it.

MCA has already gone on an offensive to declare cyber war to effectively disseminate our message to the voters, t! here has been too many twisted information in the cyber world and the wrong perception given thatof MCA and the government, he said.

Dr Chua reminded that if party members and leaders failed to close ranks and get their acts together, BN would not be in Putrajaya after the next general elections.

Todays political climate is different. It cannot be business as usual and the changing political landscape requires us to be on our toes.

To do well in the next general election, we have to overcome the negative perception of the Chinese towards MCA, he said.

He admitted that MCA has been perceived as a party that was unable to voice out the aspirations of the Chinese community.

This, he said, was proven in MCA's dismal performance in the 2008 general election.

The political tsunami in the 2008 elections had reduced MCAs representation in Parliament from 31 seats in the 2004 elections to only 15 while its state seats were reduced from 75 in 2004 to 31 seats.

The people have spoken loud and clear. Other than developing the nation, the rakyat expects the government to reduce corruption, be accountable, transparent, democratic and fair.

I have to be frank to say it is important not just the BN to win at the next general election, but the MCA as a party must also do well in order for us to be effective, he said.See What Barisan Nasional Gotta Say?

Perak DAP leaders must try, if they possibly can, to subordinate their personal ambitions and put the interests of the party above all else. The unseemly internal squabbling over local leadership is already causing considerable damage to the reputation of the DAP which has earned for itself, over the years in the face of great odds, enormous goodwill and credibility. Do you think it fair to put all the hard work and personal sacrifices of thousands of party members at risk to satisfy your craving for personal glory and power?

What has happened to the declaration of high-minded devotion to duty in the public interest? DAP does not exist in isolation. It is a vital part of the nations social, political and economic mosaic in a vibrant tangle of races, cultures and religions. We have as a party derived legitimacy from our consistency of purpose for the greatest good of the people of Malaysia. It is the height of lunacy to jeopardise what we have achieved so far and the partys future prospects by greed-driven, irresponsible, behaviour.

While I concede that leadership infighting is the norm in politics, I suggest it is a luxury we can ill afford as we strive desperately to build a reputation for consistency, reliability and credibility. Our party must by our actions demonstrate that we put great store by principled leadership, and that individually as well as collectively, we are above pettiness of mind, deceit and greed. In other words we are a party motivated solely by considerations of service before self. We are different in the values we embrace; values that we believe can make a positive difference to the process of transformation so vitally important to ensure a sustainable future for ALL Malaysians.

Our most urgent task is to convince our fellow Malaysians that they can trust us to l! ead this country honestly, competently, and justly, without recourse to corruption. Why should they throw their support behind us if they could not distinguish us from the rest? We are under the minutest public scrutiny, and on the day of reckoning, they will deliver their verdict. That verdict will decide our political relevance.

While we would like to imagine that there would be overwhelming public support to propel us to Putrajaya, it would be a mistake to believe that this would be given on a silver platter. As Lim Kit Siang has said on several occasions, our success in the last general elections could well be a one term wonder unless we delivered on our promises, to the best of our ability. We have to earn public support not by intermittent rhetorical bombardment, but by remaining totally focused on issues that have continued to bedevil the nation with a view to excising them as we would cancerous cells so as to stop them dead in their tracks. We must curb our exuberance because one sparrow does not a summer make.

I fully acknowledge the very useful contributions of our younger members who are better educated than those in the past, but they must never fall into the temptation of supposing that because they have had the benefit of an overseas tertiary education, they have all the answers. They dont. The confidence of youth is refreshing, but our younger members must realise that wisdom comes from wide experience and not from the confined cloisters and musty corridors of university life. No doubt they will learn from lifes harsh realities, sooner rather than later, for the sake of their party.

As a disciplined party, all in leadership positions must not expect special treatment if they go against party values and principles. Many believe that by virtue of their seemingly special relationships with those highly placed individuals in the partys pecking order, they will receive special treatment of the sort we deplore in other parties. All levels of our leadership must discourage factionali! sm as th is practice is guaranteed to divide loyalty and detract from the partys main focus of bringing about changes to the governance of the country, through constitutional means. We profess to be a democratic party, and we should live up to our ideals. Anything less puts us in the same moral and ethical league of political parties we despair of and despise.

Doing what is ethically right by our party is no longer the luxury of the virtuous; it has become a political necessity for survival. Are we up to the challenge because otherwise Putrajaya could well turn into a grand mirage?

Early in my life as a student, when I was learning to think, it dawned on me, in the late hours in the dead of the night, that intuition is nothing but logic operating very quickly as if instantaneously. I think it was after reading Bergson.

Deduction, Induction

Logic is nothing but a very mechanistic way of thinking. There are two major approaches. Deduction is from the general to the specific. Induction or inference is from the specific to the general.

While these two approaches to logic look fairly simple and straightforward, their proper application requires a lot of practice so that one does not fall into the trap of "gross" generalisations or pedantic "frog in the well" or "frog under the coconut shell" mentality.

The common illustration of the problem of logic is the story of the black swans. In England at a time when they were beginning to think, they saw and concluded that "All swans are white" until they discovered Australia and discovered they are wrong when they saw black swans there. The truth is seldom neat and tidy.

Logical, No Truth

But logic is never the path to truth. Logic is just a method to ensure that a view or an argument is properly constructed and laid out - so that it can be communicated clearly to other people (most often for the purpose of trying to convince others to share or take up one's view). This is a very tedious thing to do - to work out each and every little step very clearly and linearly along a line (not necessarily a straight line). In modern day example, this is nothing more than just a circuit board.

What is arrived at is not the truth, but a logical conclusion. "If you build it like this, it will end up like that." And the "that" is not the only "That" but one of many possibilities that can be done if the logical sequences are constructed differently. A different route, a different destination. (In modern day religious endeavours, different routes, same destination, hopefully.)

So, then, what is truth? How do we know truth?

My proposal to myself is to be learn to think logically first - to be stringent in my logic.

This requires absolute honesty. Polite society calls it bluntness. It is very hard to be bluntly honest in the complex world of networking today. Each person holds a conclusion that is personally meaningful to him or her. It is dangerous to shake their confidence in the truth they hold for themselves. That truth may be proven to them by the beneficial effect that position they hold has on them - even if the logic of that conclusion may be very difficult or impossible to prove - on the basis of existing tools and concepts and understanding.

Completeness of thought requires us to accept that there are conclusions that logic can prove and there are also conclusions that cannot be proved by logic. It is the logic of all possibilities: the propositions and the null propositions.

The totality of things or everything is the truth or the reality. It is the most general theory or view that is the truth of things.

It may be a fool who tries to assimilate this total view, but to me this is absolutely necessary in order to be able to understand where I am today and to accept things as they are and to be able to anticipate where things will go in future and how things will transform from moment to moment.

The nature of each and every thing determines how each will develop as time goes by, by itself. The person who has understood the nature of things knows how each thing will develop and how everything will interact with each other. Laozi calls this the Tao or the Way. Some other clever chap even says "I am the Way."

No-Mind

How I think therefore is very simple and basic. First, learn to think logically. Then after, let the thinking go by itself and think intuitively without boundaries.

The mind will expand and then assimilates all that it sees and perceives. The processing of everything simultaneously and completely requires the mind to be undirected so that it is unprejudiced - and this can be done by letting thoughts disappear. The subsequent realisation is the end-result of that alchemical processing called meditation - the highest of which is a condition called no-mind. (I am reluctant to say "zen" because it is a well-known term that is easily misunderstood.)

Discrete and Continuum

Simple thoughts are usually categorical and boxy. "He is good." "She is bad." But all generalisations are false, including this one (as someone once said).

The reality is that we have everything in each of us - it is just a matter of cultivation and emphasis. But all blankness and all possibilities will be narrowed as we exploit our opportunities and take on a specific direction or path. Statisticians call this reducing "the degree of freedom." I call it "using up one's bullets." E.g. "You have three bullets. You have fired two. What are you going to do with the last one." Or, "you have one bullet, but you have multiple objectives to achieve. How are you going to achieve them all?"

We see the wonderful variety of life on earth and we wonder who create them all. But they may just spring into existence when conditions are right for things to come into being. Furthermore, this is only what we can see. How about those we cannot see - even with a microscope - the wind we create with the move of a hand. The Great One asked, "Where is the light when the flame is gone."

There is further room for thought when we realise that even the things we can see today are only those we can see today. It does not mean that other things did not exist just because we do see them today (dinosaurs). Things we see may just be things that have come to prominence as a result of long process of historical selection or preferences.

There could be a continuum of infinite human types in the male-female combination, including unisex and non-sex and everything in between. It is just a matter of the degree of maleness or femaleness in each of us.

If we extend this perception and think of the human race, we therefore realise a commonality among ourselves the variation of which can only be due to conditioning to external factors. We are all subject to the same kinds of concerns and problems. In the end, everything boils down to the issue of survival.

It is only by being able to think in a more general form can a person reach out and touch the universe. Be at one with the universe. At this point, we follow our hearts. It is only when our hearts are pure that we know truth.

Concerns over MRT in Greater KL — Syed Ibrahim Syeh Noh AlHabshi

October 10, 2010

OCT 10 — Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia’s (Ikram) Masyarakat Madani Committee together with the members of the Association for the Improvement of Mass Transit (Transit) wishes to highlight on the urgency to clarify common misperceptions on the proposed Mass Rail Transit project as spelled out in the recently announced NKEA for Greater Kuala Lumpur.

The project is the biggest infrastructure undertaking in the nation’s history, and we are very concerned about the viability of the project and fear it might even worsen the current commuting and the economic growth bottlenecks within the Greater Kuala Lumpur based on the following salient reasons:

Absence of sustainable public transport funding framework

The debt of nearly RM10 billion that both Prasarana and the government have inherited from the bailouts of failed LRT (Putra and Star) companies can only be fully settled without incurring any burden to taxpayers by the time the final tranche of Prasarana-issued bonds mature in 2023 if the current average LRT ticket fare of RM1.60 is revised to RM8.74.

The amount of debt if it is to be fully absorbed by the government can unfairly translate to either RM1,800 for every average Malaysian household, including those who live in the Sarawak longhouses, or RM2,000 for every single resident in the Klang Valley, even in areas with unreasonable walking distance from the present LRT stations.

If Greater Kuala Lumpur is to replicate the transit funding framework in Tokyo, Hong Kong and other world class cities like Vancouver where break-even in mass rapid transit infrastructure investment is achievable, an average transit tax rate of at least RM1 per square foot for each real estate that resides within the walking radius of the present 48 LRT stations need to be levied in a period of 20 years.

Can such density-altering framework be implemented in tandem with the MRT proposal which carries a conservative RM43 billion price tag when nothing has been done to rectify the distortion in the way the present LRT infrastructure benefits the few developers and owners of lands near the existing stations compared to the larger taxpayer and constituent base? Our Muslim leaders must remember that one of the core principles of governance emphasised by their Holy Book is that access to prosperity must not concentrate and circulate among the selected few.

Lack of consideration on utilising established infrastructure

It is a gross mistake to dismiss other modes of mass rapid transit as a tool in meeting Greater Kuala Lumpur’s mobility needs. A Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system with articulated buses running on highway medians typically cost a tenth of what a grade-separated LRT system cost, and yet, like Latin America’s Transmilenio, can carry more passengers than the best MRT system available in North America.

On the other hand, Transit’s proposed Expressway Rapid Transit (ERT) can be applied on limited-access expressways that aren’t suitable for BRTs. With ERT, express bus operators are given flexibility to use their underutilised buses to serve commuting demands from ERT terminals along expressways that intersect arterials plied by local rapid bus services, to ERT gateways at strategic inner-city cordon points (like Dang Wangi LRT and Cheras LRT). The expressways can be assigned with demand-driven toll rates for rapid and frequent ERT services.

The current feeder services that serve the existing rail stations are hampered by delays due to the congestion along the arterial and collector roads, which was caused by the existing poor urban form and planning. This can be solved by reversible/intermittent bus lanes, priority signals, queue jumps, roadside parking enforcements and interconnected pedestrian paths (that allow residents to reach feeder halts along speedy suburban arterials instead of buses having to negotiate the intricacies of local roads).

Proper allocation of funds for the set up of these mass transit support systems must be considered a priority. Without it, grandeur plans such as encapsulated pedestrian pathways, deep underground subways and over-the-sky monorails will only reinforce exclusivity among the urbanites, and hampers interconnectivity which is a core element in urban multimodal transportation.

In world-class cities, it is the flexible use of different mobility tools, not the presence of state-of-the-art metro, that encourage people to use public transport. Pedestrians, bicycles, trams and cars learn to co-exist, with exclusive right-of-way classification and prioritization granted for public transport.

In the spirit of Eid where the virtues of offering greetings to each other are promoted, our Muslim bureaucrats ought to heed the Prophet’s “who-greets-who” advice in setting up a more friendlier and inclusive urban environment. The advice specifically prioritizes bystanders over horse riders (cars yield to pedestrian in local access roads), elders over youngsters (stepless, at-grade crossings over multilevel crossings for urban interchanges), and large groups over individuals (cars yield to trams/buses in busy arterials).

Ad-hoc public transport planning and review

The GTP Roadmap for urban public transport specifically spelt out modal share percentage, ridership figure and transit accessibility range for its KPI, but missed out on travel time reliability, which is the most important KPI that defines the performance measurement for transit authorities in world class cities. As a potent tool to solve urban productivity gridlock, public transport can never attract car users if its opportunity cost of travelling is higher.

Thorough studies to solve travel time reliability issues for every single residential pocket within the Greater Kuala Lumpur should be done before any major mass transit initiative can be considered, let alone publicised. Under the National Physical Plan (gazetted in 2005), studies need to be undertaken to identify required movement corridors, and these corridors need to be subsequently incorporated into Structure and Local Plans prior to emergence of an integrated transportation network.

When the findings of the last comprehensive Klang Valley traffic study in 1999 (which took more than two years to complete) fail to continuously manifest in the subsequent urban structure plans, how can we expect the three-month MRT study to accurately portray the viability of MRT to solve the shortcomings of Greater Kuala Lumpur’s mobility support systems and infrastructure?

How can anyone tell whether the unsolicited MRT proposal will fit in with the rest of the mass transit support systems in the absence of any integrated public transport master plan? The rail alignments proposed under different Structural Plans do not even touch each other on the respective plans’ jurisdictional borders, indicating the priority to focus on a single integrated public transport master plan over piecemeal proposals.

In the 10th Malaysia Plan, it is clearly stated that transportation networks should be designed to move people, with a focus on public transport as the primary spine, supported by a pedestrian-friendly street network. Integration of land use and transportation plans in shifting towards compact and efficient cities is touted to be an important component of Local Plans.

Such Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) approach works in world-class cities due to the active participation from all levels of stakeholders, where city councils empower community leaders to both propose and decide on matters that affect them locally. Assessment rates are levied according to urban density and transit access, and the resulting commercial growth around transit stops (bus, rail or tram) will lend a further significant boost in the overall vibrancy of the surrounding communities.

Although Klang Valley’s rail infrastructure has been around for more than a decade, low density, car-oriented land use still prevails around most of the stations. The government must come up with a workable strategy to solve this problem first, and convince all stakeholders on its firm commitment to similarly allocate significant funds and projects to make public transport accessible to all.

It is better to take an incremental approach in implementing TODs around existing transit stops and allocate few billion ringgit for a plenty of BRT spines (complete with feeder and pedestrian network) with potential MRT upgrade in the future, rather than splurge tens of billions of ringgit on one or two rail corridors and risk on defaults arising from failure to reap enough funds from the TOD-identified areas.

The Quran says that among the believers whose trust is only in God are those who conduct their affairs by counsel. Public transport should be public-sector driven, and federal, state and local authorities together with local grassroots need to engage with each other and agree on a common urban development and transit blueprint. TOD is a beautiful concept that needs to be deployed carefully and gradually with full acquiescence from all affected stakeholders, and cost-effective, high-capacity BRT and ERT systems should be given a thorough consideration.

The advantages of a rail-based network are numerous and we do not argue against them. Our concern is that the high cost of the rail network means that fewer areas can be served with public transport, and most of the cost can be disproportionately shouldered by the majority who will benefit the least from the proposed MRT alignments.

Notwithstanding our frustration in the way unsolicited proposals have to always come from companies with direct interest in the proposals, we hope that the government through SPAD will instil some good sense and prudence in paving the way ahead for a better public transport system that is accessible and friendly to all.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — MCA Youth demanded today that those pushing to abolish Chinese vernacular schools be punished under the Sedition Act, pointing out that the institutions were not the cause of racism.

The wing’s chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong charged today that such detractors should be accorded stern punishment for their suggestions clearly infringed provisions in the Federal Constitution.

“The status of the Chinese primary schools is enshrined under the Federal Constitution. As such, any call for the closure of Chinese primary schools is equivalent to challenging the constitution.

“MCA Youth will not compromise on this,” he said in his opening address at the wing’s annual general meeting in Wisma MCA here this morning.

The Deputy Education Minister added the party’s Education Bureau had already lodged a police report on the matter and hoped that the police would take swift action in the matter.

Wee was referring to a recent call by the Malays Consultative Council (MPM), a group made up of Malay rights non-governmental organisations including Perkasa, to abolish vernacular schools.

Despite the firestorm of insults thrown their way, the group insisted on its stand recently, claiming that their suggestion was to promote national integration.

It also pointed out that the concept of vernacular schools did not exist in other more developed nations.

Today however, Wee insisted that the government referred to the case of Sabah MP Mark Koding as a precedent to punish the group.

“In 1978, Sabah MP Mark Koding called for the closure of Chinese primary schools in Parliament. He was found guilty of sedition later.

“Thus, I urge the BN central leadership to accord similar punishment on those who utter such irresponsible statements.

“ We want to see those who destroy the peace of our nation on purpose to be punished adequately,” he said.

Wee pointed out that the government had never stopped parents from sending their children to national primary schools and had also supported the introduction of Chinese language classes in these schools.

“Besides, our country is a democratic one and it is up to the parents to decide which school to send their children to.

“The Chinese primary school is never a stumbling block for achieving national unity, and will not be one in the future,” he insisted.

Wee called on those who had the “foot-in-mouth disease” to stop blaming Chinese schools for racial problems.

“Chinese schools are not for your easy punching bag or scapegoat. I want to remind these people that the curriculum for the Chinese and national primary schools come from the same organisation, with the same guiding principles of education.

“The talents from Chinese primary schools are equally patriotic and peace-loving; and they understand the importance of being caring and helpful Malaysians,” he said.

Wee’s counterpart in Gerakan, Lim Si Pin agreed with the former, and said that Chinese schools should not be used as a “sore thumb” in matters regarding race relations.

“We have already embraced their existence since Merdeka so why keep harping on this now?” he said.

He added that Malaysians should be proud of the existence of Chinese schools, instead of ashamed of it simply because such a thing did not exist in other countries.

“Is it not better when Malaysia has this unique situation where all the people in this country agree to having multiple languages of instruction in schools?

“This is unique... do not keep harping on it. We need to move forward. If you want to help the Prime Minister and 1 Malaysia, you should take what you have and move forward from there,” he said.

MCA Youth and Wanita hold AGM

The MCA Youth and Wanita wings held their annual general meetings (AGM) on Saturday. MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong urges the Barisan Nasional to draw a clear line with the extremists or extremist groups in order for the coalition to win the support of all Malaysians. Meanwhile, Wanita chief Datuk Yu Chok Tow urges the leadership to amend the party constitution for direct election in the party elections in 2014.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth took a swipe at certain quarters who dreamt of becoming national heroes by harping on racial issues.

Its Youth chief Wee Ka Siong called them not heroes but “primitive men”.

He said these "primitive men" who stirred up racial discontent did not fit in the current 21st century, adding that the people were not interested in glamour or those masquerading as national heroes because all these were insignificant.

Wee described such extremism as unacceptable and very damaging.

“Worse, they justified their acts and claim themselves to be national heroes. In fact, what they are doing is for their own personal again; and all done at the expense of the country’s unity, development and future.

“Today, MCA Youth wants to tell the 'primitive men' this: “You do not fit in modern times, and it is better you go back to ancient times!” Wee said at the 46th MCA Youth annual general assembly here today.

He was addressing the assembly which was opened by MCA deputy president Liow Tiong Lai and attended by Youth leaders from other component parties, including BN Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

He also urged the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership to draw a clear line on extremist groups in the country.

He said this was imperative as the BN had to lobby for support from the people and ensure no one was left out in the process of development.

Draw a clear line

Wee added that MCA Youth had always spoken up against extremists and would not give in to them.

“We respect our social contract and Federal Constitution. But we will not allow the costitution to be interpreted, using their (extremists) whims and fancies.

"I must stress here that the Barisan Nasional leadership must draw a clear line on the extremists or extremist groups," he said

Wee, who is also deputy education minister, urged the government to increase the size of the country’s economic cake and let more people have a share.

He said what was more important was that the government could be the captain for local entrepreneurs -- regardless of race and brands -- to promote local products abroad.

“We must have a global view of the economy and equip ourselves to be competitive in the international arena. We must change our mindset and must not confine ourselves in our little world,” he said.

As such, in the nation’s pursuit to enhance innovation, Wee suggested the government establish the 'Innovation Award', including sponsoring innovation projects or giving incentives or tax rebates to those involved in innovation, to encourage more people to be involved in innovation.

“We could include the subject of innovative talent education and emphasise on innovation requirement in the other subjects like fashion design, interior design and advertising,” he said.

A total of 888 out of 1,736 central delegates attended the wing's AGM.

So far, we have heard a lot of thunder but seen little rain.

I hate to say this. But nowadays, whatever ideas and concepts the prime minister comes out with, they are met by general cynicism. Because they are so many of them. They have not passed the stage of experimentation.

When he was in Brussels, he talked of reversing the brain drain. He should begin at home first. Induct the best into the civil service. Forget about getting three million members into Umno. Induct the talented and those with leadership material. Others can support Umno.

Transform his Cabinet into a fighting machine with performance by targeting talents.

He announced Malaysia’s Talent Corporation will be launched in January to arrest the country’s growing brain drain problem. The exodus of local talent to more developed countries has threatened his vision of transforming Malaysia into a high-income nation by 2020. How do you reverse that? By compensating those who have gotten out with what they thought they have lost?

“Previously, we waited for them to get back to us but this time we will seek them out,” Najib told reporters. “We will find out what it takes for them to consider going back home, and at the same time create more business opportunities and pay them wages that are more aligned with global wages.”

Then what about those talents at home who are not paid global wages? If these people come back, will it make a difference after all?

I think this approach is flawed. It’s the firefighting style. Short-term, by nature. How many are out there? Surely the same number can be found in our universities who can also be enticed to do their best if the reward system is in place.

I have long argued that the problem is one concerning the absence of a reward system. Unless we have a reward system that attaches premium and high value to learning and knowledge, we will still suffer a brain drain. In the absence of that reward system, the more insidious problem is suboptimal output. Why should the cleverer and industrious produce more when the corner-cutters and less clever are paid higher?

Have that reward system. We clear the problem of sub-par performance. Maybe we don’t even have to recall our brain boxes who have settled abroad. They have settled down there wherever. Their children have planted cultural roots there.

The way we are approaching the problem is like resolving the problem with Umno voters. Buy their votes and they vote for you.

Then there is his finishing school. This is perplexing. Why the need for one? If it’s a school for enhancing skills then it’s not a finishing school. It’s a graduate school. You train people further. But if it’s a school for re-training and fine-tuning skills, then a whole series of other issues will be asked.

When we set out our IT industry, didn’t the body responsible for doing it or planning it, tailor the IT modules to be market-friendly? It’s a continuing school to re-skill the IT people because suddenly their skills are found to be deficient.

Hence, the government will establish an information and communications technology (ICT) “finishing school” to train 25,000 knowledge workers needed to take the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) to its third phase of development starting next year.

The programme’s curriculum will be jointly developed with industry players to be more market-driven, in an effort to boost ICT contribution to GDP from 1.2 per cent in 2009 to 10.2 per cent by 2015, as outlined in the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

I would rather send the 25,000 people back to school than setting up new facilities which again will cost more money.

Here is another heroic idea coming from the PM. He must have said this in front of an audience where there were no Perkasa members. This was what he said: Only those who are able, dare to compete and are willing to make changes will be successful in this 21st century. The prime minister said this was because the century did not promise success to anyone unless they were willing to work hard, master knowledge and skills and show an extraordinary level of work ethics.

Waduuh! So those people in Perkasa will have to take note of this. This is the clearest indication yet that Datuk Seri Najib Razak is abandoning the NEP despite claiming and asserting the fact that he is Tun Razak’s son.

I said wadduh… not because there was anything wrong about the subject matter. I am sceptical whether this idea has been communicated to the masses. Especially to those who think they can get by in life because they have been promised bounties.

I say its heroic because it demands the very first requirement as laid down in the ETP and the NEM. Political resolve and will. — sakmongkol.blogspot.com